Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

अधोवक्त्रेण भोक्तव्यं त्वया वीक्ष्या न मे प्रिया । नो चेद्विडंबनां विप्र संप्राप्स्यसि न संशयः

Transliteration

adhovaktreṇa bhoktavyaṃ tvayā vīkṣyā na me priyā | no cedviḍaṃbanāṃ vipra saṃprāpsyasi na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

‘നീ മുഖം താഴ്ത്തി വെച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ഭോജനം ചെയ്യണം; എന്റെ പ്രിയ ഭാര്യയെ നോക്കരുത്. അല്ലെങ്കിൽ, ഹേ വിപ്രാ, സംശയമില്ലാതെ നീ അപമാനം അനുഭവിക്കും.’

Word by Word

• अधोवक्त्रेण: with face downward
• अधोवक्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधः (अव्यय) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (अधः-वक्त्रेण = 'with the face downward')

• भोक्तव्यम्: must be eaten
• भोक्तव्यम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भोक्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive: 'must be eaten')

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु) → वीक्ष्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive: 'having seen')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रिया: dear/pleasing
• प्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (अत्र) 'प्रियं' अर्थे स्त्रीरूपेण

• नः: otherwise
• नः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नः (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प/प्रत्यवायार्थक-निपात (otherwise/if not)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (if)

• विडम्बनाम्: mockery/insult
• विडम्बनाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विडम्बना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• संप्राप्स्यसि: you will attain/meet
• संप्राप्स्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• न: no/not
• न: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (न संशयः = 'no doubt')

Speaker

Maṇibhadra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The host warns the brāhmaṇa: eat with face lowered; do not look toward the inner quarters where the wife is present; tension between hospitality and suspicion.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇibhadra
• Puṣpa
• Maṇibhadra’s wife (priyā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Restraint of the senses is portrayed as essential to preserving dharma and avoiding disgrace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger chapter is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya; this verse emphasizes moral discipline rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A strict dining conduct rule (niyama) imposed as a condition for receiving food.